Clamping device



March 12, 1963 M. lc m E 3,080,867

CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 25. 1959 INVENTOR i/a/w/mw 60/01/666 BY JM%%ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiiice 3,080,867 Patented Mar. 12, 19633,080,867 CLAMPING DEVICE Maximilian Eichinger, Maxingstrasse 62, ViennaXIII/ 89, Austria Filed Feb. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 795,459 Claims priority,application Austria May 22, 1958 6 Claims. (Cl. 128--346) This inventionrelates to a clamping device and is more particularly related to aclinical clamping device with flexible lines, such as tourniquet tube,and a mechanical clamp.

In the administration of intravenous injections or taking of bloodsamples, for example from the arm vein of humans, it isv-irtuallynecessary to provoke a vascular engorgement of the vein tofacilitate insertion of a tubular needle. 'Ihi-s engorgement is achievedby tying the limb with a strap or the like. When using a flexible tubefor [tying aphysi cian generally-fixes the tube ends in a half knotbetween the limb and tube to prevent slackening of the tension. tient.I,

Flexible tube clamps]j have been previously proposed, as shown in U.S.Patents 1,532,229 and No. 1,387,- 358, as well as in German 'PatentNo'.645,126. Such This can sometimes Ibepainful for, the pa- :previouslyknown clampin'gflde'vices incorporate, e.g., a

pipe in which the flexible-tube is inserted and clamped by a slidingboltglatera lly shiftable in oblique slots, or 'the flexible tubeisjfixed by a'comparatively intricate device having many components.Compared to the pre VlOllSlY known devices the subject clamping deviceof "this invention is remarkable for its particularly simpleconstruction and the fact that clamping and adjusting may beaccomplished in a particularly easy manner.

The proposed clinical clamping device according to the present inventionpermits rapid and positive tightening and fixing of a flexible elongatedmaterial arranged to form a loop, especially for tying a limb -by meansof a flexible tube for administration of intravenous injections and thelike, without causing pain to the patient. It provides for similar rapidpositive release of the clamp. The f. cla'mpi is simple and foolproofand can be completely disassembled for sterilization, merely by slippingit off the flexible loop material.

' Accordingly, a primary "object of this invention resides in providingaf'noveltourniquet with a flexible loop and a simple sliding mechanicalclamp device with provision for rapid easy release of clamping action.

A further object resides in the provision of a loop of I flexibletubular material and a simple novel clamp device vention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description, discussion and theappended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsshowing a preferred structure and embodiment, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a flexible tubulartourniquet loop the ends of which are clamped in a small releasableclamp, as a preferred example of this invention; V FIGURE 2 is a sideview of the clamping device shown in FIGURE 1 with the plungers disposedin .a position enabling free sliding of the loop ends which are shown inphantom line'for convenience of illustrating clamp component details.

FIGURE 3 is a section view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2 illustrating theinterior details of the clamping device disposed in release position;

FIGURE 4 is a view simlar to FIGURE 2 but illustrating the clamp devicein its clamping position; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating the disassembled componentsof the clamp device enabled by removing the tourniquet loop end-s.

In general, the invention is exemplified by a clinical tourniquet 8(FIGURE 1) consisting of a flexible tube 10 arranged in a loop with itsends 12 projected through a clamp device 14. Briefly, the clampingdevice 14 consists of a tubular sleeve member with two plungers disposedfor sliding within the sleeve member between the plungers. The sleevemember and the two plungers are provided with transvense bores which arein alignment when the spring is completely compressed (the innermostposition of the plungers, FIGURES 2 and 3).

The ends 12 of the flexible tube 10, which can be any of many elongatedflexible materials and not necessarily tubular, arranged to form a loop,project through respective aligned cross bores in the mechanical clampand prevent the plungers from being displaced out of the sleeve.

The manipulation of the clamping device according to the invention canbe understood by viewing FIGURES 3 and 4, FIGURE 3 showing the plungersin the innermost position, which is accomplished by squeezing theplungers with thumb and forefinger, where clamping action is preventedand FIGURE 4 showing the plungers disposed by spring bias in an outerclamping position.

In the specific illustrated example, the clamp device 14 consists of acylindrical sleeve 16 which has two spaced apart transverse bores 18 and20 symmetrically arranged in relation to the center of sleeve 16. Twofree sliding cylindrical plungers 22 are arranged symmetrically withinopposite ends of sleeve 16 and each plunger 22 is provided with atransverse bore 24 having diametral dimensions similar to the sleevecross bores 18 and 20. The bores 18 and 20 of sleeve 16 are in alignmentwith associated bores 24 of plungers 22 when the faces 26 of theplungers are substantially flush with the ends of the sleeve 16. In thisposition a cavity or chamber 28 is provided within the sleeve 16 betweenthe plungers 22 and disposed in chamber 28, and engaging both plungers22, is a substantially completely compressed helical spring 30. In thiscompressed position of the helical spring 30 and inner positions of theplungens 22, obtained 'by compression between thumb and forefinger ofone hand, the ends 12 of the flexible, elongated material 8, thetourniquet tube, can be easily projected through the two sets of commonalign-ed transverse bores of sleeve 16 and plunger 22, and/or theclamping device 14 may be freely shifted on the flexible tube 8, todecrease or enlarge the size of loop 10. When the desired position isobtained (e.g., the flexible tube fits tightly around the limb to betied) clamping of the tube 8 is achieved by releasing the plungers 22which were pressed together. This clamping position may be maintainedfor an optional time. Clamping is immediately released by pressing theplungers 22 together between thumb and forefinger, whereupon theclamping device again may be freely shifted on the tube. Note, releaseis dependent only upon pressure on the plungers 22 and not uponmomentary further tightening of the loop, as in some previously proposeddevices.

An auxiliary ringlet 32 of soft spongy material, e.g., foam rubber, ifdesired, can be placed around sleeve 16 between cross bores 18 and 2a toprevent the hard surface of the clarnp from hearing directly on the limbto which the tourniquet is applied, or the ringlet can be used to applypressure on a pressure point.

The sleeve and plunger components of the clamp 14 can be made from anydesirable hard rigid material, such as an aluminuli alloy, stainlesssteel, Bakelite or many of the new plastic compounds. The sleeves andplungers need not be cylindrical, e.g., they could be square or of someother polygonal cross-section, or the outer surface 7 of the sleevecould be made of an infinite variety of crosssection shapes with acylindrical bore and cylindrical plungers.

The foregoing description discloses a new tourniquet and clampcombination useful in many clinical applications. In veterinaryapplications it has been used for castration. The clamp device itself issimple, rugged and easily manipulated for positional adjustment to andfrom clamping position.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms Without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Thepresentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

l. A tourniquet device comprising: a flexible tubular strap having twoends and arranged in a loop formation; 'a clamp device on the two endsof said strap comprising a tubular sleeve, two plungers disposed in saidsleeve, engaged with and separated by a resilient compression means sothe ends of said plungers are biased outwardly and project respectivelyfrom the opposite ends of said sleeve, said sleeve and each of saidplungers having cross bores which can be substantially aligned in twospaced apart sets by forcing said plungers into said sleeve against thebias of said compression means; the ends of said strap being projectedthrough respective ones of said sets of cross bars and adapted to beselectively slidable or clamped therein; and means provided on saidsleeve providing an outward projection between the sleeve bores.

2. A tourniquet device comprising: a flexible tubular strap having twoends and arranged in a loop formation; a clamp device on the two ends ofsaid strap comprising a tubular sleeve, two plungers disposed in saidsleeve, engaged with and separated by a resilient compression means sothe ends of said plungers are biased outwardly and project respectivelyfrom the opposite ends of said sleeve, said sleeve and each of saidplungers having cross bores which can be substantially aligned in twospaced apart sets by forcing said plungers into said sleeve against thebias of said compression means; said sleeve having a substantiallyconstant and similar area interior cross section throughout its lengthand said plungers and resilient means having an exterior shape enablingfree sliding movement within and to pass completely out of said sleeve;the ends of said strap being projected through respective ones of saidsets of cross bores and adapted to be selectively slidable or clampedtherein; and said sleeve, plungers and resilient means being maintainedin assembly by engagement of said plungers and said sleeve with portionsof said tubular strap projecting through said sets of cross bores.

3. A tourniquet device comprising: a flexible strap having two ends andarranged in a loop formation; a clamp device on the two ends of saidstrap comprising a tubular cylindrical sleeve, two cylindrical plungersslidably disposed in said sleeve, engaged with and separated by aresilient compression means within said sleeve so the ends of saidplungers are biased outwardly and project respectively from the oppositeends of said sleeve, said sleeve and each of said plungers having crossbores which can be substantially aligned in two spaced apart sets byforcing said plungers into said sleeve against the bias of saidcompression means; and the ends of said strap being projected throughrespective ones of said sets of cross bores and adapted to beselectively slidable or clamped therein by manipulation of saidplungers.

4. A tourniquet device as defined in claim 3 wherein said resilientmeans is a compression coil spring which is substantially fullycompressed when said plungers are pushed into said sleeve to a positionwhere both sets of cross bores are aligned.

5. A clamping device for use in combination with two elongate portionsof flexible materials, comprising: an elongate tubular sleeve memberwith a substantially constant area cylindrical through passage and twospaced apart transverse cross passages through which the elongateportions of flexible material will project; two cylindrical plungersshaped to enable passage of said plungers completely through saidsleeve, slidably disposed in the through passage of said sleeve member;a coiled compression spring disposed in said through passage betweensaid plungers and exerting a force biasing said plungers out of saidthrough passage; a transverse cross passage in each of saidplungers,each of the plunger cross passages being adapted to align with anassociated one of the cross passages in said sleeve member upon forcedmovement of said plungers toward each other against the bias of saidcompression spring; and a ring means mounted around said sleeve memberproviding an enlargement between the sleeve member cross passages.

6. A tourniquet device comprising a flexible strap having two ends andarranged in a loop formation; a clamp device on the twoends of saidstrap, comprising: a short tubular sleeve, the through passage of whichhas a constant transverse cross section area throughout the entirelength of the passage, said sleeve having two spaced apart sets oftransverse cross passages in the sleeve wall; two plungers ofapproximately the same cross section as the passage through said sleevedisposed in, and having a close free sliding fit relative to, thepassage through said sleeve; a coiled compression spring, disposed insaid sleeve through passage between and engaging said plungers andexerting a force biasing and tending to move the plungers out of saidthrough passage; a transverse cross passage in each of said plungers;individual ends of said strap projectinn through a respective set oftransverse passages in said sleeve and the transverse passage in anassociated plunger, being clamped by spring force against said plungersand by cooperation between said sleeve and said plungers maintainingsaid clamp device in assembly; each of the plunger cross passages beingadapted to align with an associated one of the cross passage sets insaid sleeve upon forced shifting movement of said plungers toward eachother against the bias of said compression spring to thereby unclarnpthe end portions of said strap; the coils of said spring beingcompressed fully upon shifting movement of said plungers to positionswhere both sets of cross passages align; and each of said plunger havingends extending away from said spring, normally projecting from saidsleeve and, upon said forced shifting movement to fully compress saidspring, being substantially wholly within said sleeve and having endsurfaces lying approximate the ends of said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS515,367 Rounseville Feb. 27, 1894 1,379,093 Freeberg May 24, 19211,444,754 Pruden Feb. 6, 1923 1,576,397 Yanagi Mar. 9, 1926 1,637,003Lang July 26, 1927 2,332,107 Nieburgs Oct. 19, 1943 2,439,176 MallardApr. 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 457,314 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1936

5. A CLAMPING DEVICE FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH TWO ELONGATE PORTIONSOF FLEXIBLE MATERIALS, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATE TUBULAR SLEEVE MEMBERWITH A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT AREA CYLINDRICAL THROUGH PASSAGE AND TWOSPACED APART TRANSVERSE CROSS PASSAGES THROUGH WHICH THE ELONGATEPORTIONS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL WILL PROJECT; TWO CYLINDRICAL PLUNGERSSHAPED TO ENABLE PASSAGE OF SAID PLUNGERS COMPLETELY THROUGH SAIDSLEEVE, SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN THE THROUGH PASSAGE OF SAID SLEEVE MEMBER;A COILED COMPRESSION SPRING DISPOSED IN SAID THROUGH PASSAGE BETWEENSAID PLUNGERS AND EXERTING A FORCE BIASING SAID PLUNGERS OUT OF SAIDTHROUGH PASSAGE; A TRANSVERSE CROSS PASSAGE IN EACH OF SAID PLUNGERS,EACH OF THE PLUNGER CROSS PASSAGES BEING ADAPTED TO ALIGN WITH ANASSOCIATED ONE OF THE CROSS PASSAGES IN SAID SLEEVE MEMBER UPON FORCEDMOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGERS TOWARD EACH OTHER AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAIDCOMPRESSION SPRING; AND A RING MEANS MOUNTED AROUND SAID SLEEVE MEMBERPROVIDING AN ENLARGEMENT BETWEEN THE SLEEVE MEMBER CROSS PASSAGES.